Location: Charlottesville, VA or approved East Coast locations (VA, NC, GA, FL)
Do you thrive leading a global service operation through real, active change? Can you bring both operational rigor and a genuine focus on the people you serve? Are you ready to own vendor strategy and shape how a global team delivers service, working closely with senior leadership?
CFA Institute is hiring a Senior Director, Global Customer Operations to lead our global contact center function, a hybrid team of internal staff and managed-service vendor partners supporting members and candidates worldwide. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you will set functional strategy, own vendor performance, and lead the team through an active period of transformation.
What You'll Do
Set and execute strategy for the global contact center function, partnering closely with the COO on wider Operations priorities.
Protect and elevate the member and candidate experience as the team drives operational efficiency, partnering across Membership, Education, Marketing, and Technology to keep that experience consistent.
Lead day-to-day delivery across the hybrid model, leading a multi-layered leadership team of managers and senior managers, each responsible for their own teams, across internal staff and managed-service partners.
Own vendor performance: manage the relationship, hold partners to SLAs and KPIs, and lead contract and commercial discussions with Procurement, Legal, and Finance.
Build and manage the function's annual budget, and set the policies, procedures, and quality standards that govern service delivery.
Lead the team through active transformation, assessing the current model, driving meaningful change to how service is delivered, and developing the leadership bench beneath you.
What We're Looking For
Proven, senior-level experience leading a contact center, customer service, or operations function, including within a hybrid or vendor-managed delivery environment.
Proven experience operating in a global or multi-region service environment, ideally supporting international growth markets outside the US.
Proven change management experience, leading a team through significant, sustained change to how it operates.
Proven experience managing outsourced or managed-service vendor relationships, including SLA/KPI governance.
Hands-on experience with contact center technology platforms, such as CRM and workforce management (WFM) systems.
Substantial experience owning or managing a budget for a department or functional area.
Bachelor's degree; advanced degree (e.g., MBA) or equivalent experience.
You'll Thrive in This Role If...
You bring both operational discipline and genuine care for the people you serve. This isn't a role for someone motivated purely by cost and volume metrics.
You're energized by leading change, not just maintaining a steady state.
You've supported a global business and are comfortable working with teams and customers across different regions and time zones, not just a domestic base.
Nice to Have
Background in a member-driven, mission-driven, or brand-sensitive organization.
Awareness of multilingual or localization considerations in service delivery.
Why Join Us
Lead a global, mission-driven service function during a period of meaningful transformation.
Play a meaningful role in shaping the member and candidate experience at global scale.
Partner directly with senior leadership and cross-functional teams across the organization.
Travel: some travel required (up to approximately 10%), including occasional vendor-site visits and travel between U.S. and U.K. locations.
At CFA Institute, we are committed to transparency and equity in our hiring process. In compliance with wage transparency laws in many of the jurisdictions in which we recruit, we provide the following information regarding compensation for this position.
Expected salary range: US National Locations (VA, NC, GA, FL): $150,000 - $190,000 per year
Actual salary within the stated ranges will depend on the individual's experience, qualifications, skills, location, and other job-related factors. Additional benefits include eligibility for an annual discretionary incentive bonus, a 12% employer contribution to a 401(k) or pension plan, and a comprehensive medical benefits package.
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We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support our employees, including health coverage, generous time off, competitive retirement plans, flexible work options, and wellbeing and development programs. You can learn more on our careers site: Working at CFA Institute | Comprehensive Benefits
About CFA Institute
CFA Institute is the global leader in investment excellence and ethics. With nearly 200,000 charterholders across 160 markets, we promote professional growth, uphold ethical standards, and help advance better financial markets. Join a global organization committed to putting investors first.
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Important Message: Your application must clearly demonstrate how you meet the requirements as CFA Institute cannot make assumptions about your education, experience, or location. We thank all those who apply.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. CFA Institute prohibits both discrimination and harassment with regard to all identifying characteristics: any individual employee, group of employees, or prospective employee on the basis of race, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, religion, creed or belief, age, marital or partnership status, marital or family status, care giver status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual and other reproductive health decisions, physical abilities/qualities, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, predisposing genetic characteristic, military or veteran status, status as a victim or witness of domestic violence or sex offense or stalking, unemployment status, infectious disease carrier status, migrant worker status, educational background, socio-economic status, geographic location and culture or any other basis protected by applicable law. This policy impacts all aspects of employment, including but not limited to, recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, development, promotion, demotion, layoff, recall, furlough, transfer, leave of absence, and dismissal. This is a global policy that applies to all CFA Institute employees, regardless of location.
If, due to a disability or current medical condition, you need an accommodation or assistance to complete a job application, you can request one at any stage of the recruitment process. Please send an email to [email protected] noting the accommodations or assistance you are requesting. Please do not include any medical or health information in this email. We will review your request and contact you to discuss the possible options and arrangements. We will try our best to provide you with an accommodation or assistance that meets your needs and respects your preferences.
Skills Required
- Senior-level experience leading a contact center, customer service, or operations function
- Experience leading hybrid or vendor-managed service delivery environments
- Experience operating in a global or multi-region service environment
- Experience supporting international growth markets outside the United States
- Change management experience leading significant, sustained operational change
- Experience managing outsourced or managed-service vendor relationships
- Experience with SLA and KPI governance
- Hands-on experience with contact center technology, including CRM and workforce management systems
- Experience owning or managing a departmental or functional budget
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
- Advanced degree such as an MBA
- Experience in a member-driven, mission-driven, or brand-sensitive organization
- Awareness of multilingual or localization considerations in service delivery
CFA Institute Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about CFA Institute and has not been reviewed or approved by CFA Institute.
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Healthcare Strength — Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage alongside life and disability insurance is described as robust. These offerings are positioned as a dependable cornerstone of the package.
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Retirement Support — A generous retirement program with 401(k) and profit sharing in many locations supports long-term financial security. This element stands out within total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Generous paid time off, a year-end office closure, summer hours, and volunteer time underscore strong time-away support. Additional programs broaden the range of time-off options.
CFA Institute Insights
What We Do
CFA Institute is a global community of more than 175,000 investment professionals working to build an investment industry where investors’ interests come first, financial markets function at their best, and economies grow. We are driven by the belief that lasting economic growth depends on trust, competence, and transparency in financial markets, and we know that it must be led by professionals adhering to the highest levels of ethics and investment expertise. We achieve these goals by: raising standards of professional excellence in the industry; championing ethical behavior in investment markets; serving as a respected source of knowledge in investment markets; and creating a strong global community of investment professionals.
